ACR+ News

LIFE SMART WASTE | New report on “Waste industry perceptions of waste crime in Scotland” published

Published: 25 September 2017

The LIFE SMART Waste project has published a report on waste and resource management industry perceptions of waste crime in Scotland. The report followed research undertaken to help fill gaps in our understanding of the scale of the issue and to inform the design of effective interventions.

The threat of waste crime to the natural environment, the well-being of our communities and the health of our economy is well recognised. Through misclassification and evasion, waste crime robs the public purse of much-needed tax revenues and also undermines legitimate businesses in the waste industry. Eunomia noted that waste crime in the UK is “widespread and endemic”’ and estimated that waste crime costs the economy in England alone more than 600 million pounds per year.

Regulatory agencies need to enhance their intelligence if they are to better prevent, detect and enforce against waste crime. Recognising the value of waste industry knowledge and experience, an online survey of waste industry operators in Scotland was undertaken by SEPA during July-September 2016.

The published report summarises the key results and provides an insight into the current nature and scale of waste crime as perceived by individuals working within the waste industry in Scotland. Using insights from the survey, the report considers three key themes: